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Shintaro Kazama
Shintaro Kazama is a character in the Yakuza game series, appearing as a major character in Yakuza 1 and Yakuza 0, as well as the remake Yakuza Kiwami. He also appears in flashbacks in Yakuza 2 (and its remake Yakuza Kiwami 2), and is mentioned sporadically throughout later chronological installments. Considered a legend in the Japanese underworld, Kazama is the Patriarch of the Tojo Clan-affiliated Kazama Family, originally the Captain of the Dojima Family before its downfall in 1995. He is the mentor and father figure to series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. He is one of the driving forces in the 2005 game Yakuza, participating in the power struggle of the Tojo Clan, and his past actions serve as a catalyst for the events of Yakuza 2. In Yakuza 0, while absent for the majority of the game, he manipulates people and events to accomplish his ends. History Background Early life One of the most legendary members in the Tojo Clan's history, Kazama's early life is relatively unknown, except for the fact that he had a younger twin brother called Joji. While Joji pursued the life of a peacemaker and enlisted within the National Police Agency, Kazama eventually fell into the yakuza life. Kazama became a member of the Dojima family around the 1970s, working under Patriarch Sohei Dojima as a hitman and assassin. Around that time, Kazama met a young Masaru Sera, who was previously arrested for rioting against the Japanese government, and helped him join the Tojo Clan, acting as both a friend and a mentor. Circa 1979, Joji, who maintained his work as a police officer, desired to escape the possible persecution of Kazama's position as a yakuza. He ultimately emigrated to the United States of America; despite this, the two brothers continued to maintain some form of communication. Eventually, Kazama, guilt-ridden of his assassinations and killings, founded the Sunflower Orphanage, where he took in the children of his victims. Notable orphans were Kazuma Kiryu and Akira Nishikiyama, who became Kazama's surrogate sons, Yuko Nishikiyama and Yumi Sawamura. Kazama would spend nearly every Christmas at the orphanage. Jingweon Mafia massacre By 1980, Kazama, alongside fellow yakuza member Futoshi Shimano, became one of Dojima's top-ranked men; according to Shimano, Kazama scored over a hundred assassinations under his belt. Around that same time, the Dojima Family got into conflict with a foreign threat, the Korean Jingweon Mafia. In a deciding meeting with both Dojima and Shimano, Kazama questioned the former whether war was their only option against the Korean mafia's rising strength. When Dojima confirmed Kazama's question, the latter tried to reason about sparing a few members, but was eventually forced to accept Dojima's orders to wipe out the Jingweon Mafia. On Christmas Eve of 1980, Kazama and Shimano went on with the plan to massacre the Jingeweon in its entirety, which also marked the first time he didn't celebrate Christmas in his orphanage. Before arriving at the Jingweon's headquarters, Kazama was approached by a young Kiryu, distraught at his father figure's absence. However, he coldly told Kiryu to return to the orphanage before leaving. In a final attempt to avoid unnecessary slaughter, Kazama stroke a deal with the Jingweon Mafia's leader, promising to let the Korean mobsters live in exchange for them to depart Kamurocho for good. Before they could resolve the issue, however, Kiryu stormed into the exchange fearing for Kazama's life. Before the Jingweon leader could shoot the boy, Kazama shot him fatally. Realizing that he has no other way, Kazama joined Shimano in annihilating Jingweon's Kamurocho cell, though he spared Hoejong Park, who witnessed Kazama's execution of the cell's leader. Aside from Park, Kazama also spared Daejin Kim and Yeongmin Ji, two youths associated with the cell. Kazama took care of Kim, legally changing his name to Yukio Terada and enlisting him with the rival Omi Alliance yakuza organization. In spite of resentment towards Kamaza's action against the Koreans, Terada became a close associate of Kazama. Captain of the Dojima family By the mid to late 1980s, Kazama was already a captain of the Dojima Family, and one of the most respected members within the Tojo Clan. He founded his own group, the Kazama Family, within the Dojima Family, and chose Osamu Kashiwagi as his right-hand man. As Kiryu and Nishiki grew up, they became interested in joining the yakuza ranks, but Kazama refused welcoming them. On a rainy day in 1985, Kiryu and Nishiki confronted Kazama once more asking to join the yakuza, but he simply beat them up. A defeated Kiryu angrily asked his father figure why they can't join the Yakuza, with Kiryu further questioning if as an orphan, he can't dream of a better future. Seemingly moved by Kiryu's words, Kazama ultimately agreed to let his wards join the Tojo Clan. On the next day, both Kiryu and Nishiki were inducted into the organization, and on Kazama's insistence, were placed in the direct Tojo subsidiary Dojima Family over Kazama's own team. At some point prior to 1988, Kazama was approached by a Chinese-Japanese man called Tetsu Tachibana, who asked Kazama for help to find his sister. Kazama supported Tachibana, aiding him in forming a real estate business to compete with the Dojima Family. Circa June 1988, Kazama was betrayed by the three lieutenants of the Dojima family, who tipped the police off about the then-current location of Kazama's gambling business. He was soon arrested and remained in prison for the entirety of the Empty Lot incident. Events of Yakuza 0 The Chessmaster Kazama's imprisonment signaled the beginning of a succession war within the Dojima Family, with lieutenants Daisaku Kuze, Hiroki Awano and Keiji Shibusawa each vying to replace Kazama as Dojima's right-hand man. However, Kazama, fearing about the potential threat Dojima might pose by becoming the Chairman of the Tojo Clan, orchestrated a plan against him. Kazama's associates Tachibana and Sera played direct roles in opposing the Dojimas, with the latter considered by Kazama to be the most suited candidate for the Third Chairman position. Kazama had Tachibana join forces with kiryu and help protecting the latter from Dojima's wrath. Meanwhile Sera was to locate the owner of the Empty Lot, revealed to be Tachibana's sister Makoto. Unexpected to Kazama's planning was the involvement of the exiled Shimano Family member Goro Majima, who nonetheless ironed Kazama's position against Dojima for his own reasons. Kazama's plan eventually succeed, though Tachibana lost his life during the incident. Sera managed to secure the deed for the Empty Lot and save Makoto, while Majima and Kiryu took on Dojima and his lieutenants, culminating in the Dojima Family's decline over a single night. Accordingly to his plans, Sera became the next Chairman of the Tojo Clan. Meeting with Kiryu In the aftermath of the Empty Lot incident, a still imprisoned Kazama was visited by Kiryu. Kazama expressed gratitude for Kiryu's visit and apologized to his surrogate son for putting him through the internal conflicts of the family. Kiryu quickly reported to Kazama that he decided to re-join the Dojima Family, knowing that Kazama would be against it. Kazama confirmed his worry and asked Kiryu if he was truly ready to do it, to which Kiryu reassured that he was. Post-''Yakuza 0'' The events of the Empty Lot incident left the Dojima Family a shadow of its former self, while Sohei himself was elected to be the Guardian of Sera. Thus, Kazama became the de-facto leader of the Dojima Family, while Kiryu becoming a lieutenant under him. In 1993, Kiryu was kidnapped by Lau Ka Long and the Snake Flower Triad as retaliation for overpriced fake passports sold by the Dojima Family. Learning about this, Kazama took it upon himself to save his protege. Armed with dual handguns, Kazama stormed the torture basement where Kiryu was tortured, quickly eliminating the torturers and releasing Kiryu from his chains. However, during the rescue Kazama was badly injured in his left leg. This injury would cause him to limp for the reminder of his life. At some point in his life, Kazama became associated with a man called Kazuki. Refusing to gather protection money from him, Kazama helped Kazuki buying the club Stardust and served as a business mentor for the younger man. This act of kindness would make Kazuki loyal to Kazama. By 1995, Kazama planned to have Kiryu start his own subsidiary. Events of Yakuza and Yakuza Kiwami September 1995 On September 30, 1995, Shinji Tanaka was tasked with collecting protection money from Peace Finance, with Kiryu aiding the young yakuza. Kazama and Kashiwagi were later presented with the protection money by Kiryu. The two praised Kiryu's work though Kazama warned his underling about being too reckless. After stopping Kashiwagi from talking about his assassin past, Kazama had a private conversation with Kiryu. Kazama expressed his fatherly disbelief about Kiryu finally starting his own family, and the two reminisced about the Sunflower orphanage, with Kazama suggesting Kiryu to visit more often. Before long, the two men learned from Shinji that Yumi was abducted by Dojima, who took her off to his office with Nishiki pursuing after them. Knowing the difficulty of the situation, Kazama instructed Kiryu to stay out of it; against Kazama's wishes, Kiryu went to confront Dojiam. Kazama later learned about Dojima's murder and Kiryu's arrest. Without his favored protege by his side, Kazama had Nishiki found a subsidiary in Kiryu's place through Kashiwagi. Conflicts in the Tojo Clan The day after Dojima's murder, Kazama was called back into the Sunflower Orphanage where he found the amnesiac Yumi. In an effort to help her recover some memories, Kazama showed Yumi several photographs of people related to her. While her memory didn't return, it was due to Yumi's shocked reaction that Kazama realized Nishiki murdered Dojima rather than Kiryu. Kazama decided to keep Yumi's status a secret from Nishiki, and for a while he cared for her himself. Through his and Sera's connections, Yumi met and fell in love with politician and Tojo Clan associate Kyohei Jingu; feeling that this affair might give Yumi a chance to start a new life away from the yakuza, Kazama let the couple be together. However, when Jingu received a marriage proposal with a daughter of a powerful politician, Yumi and their newly born daughter Haruka left to live under Kazama's wing once more. Jingu's paranoia and ambition eventually led him to coerce Sera into assassinating Yumi and Haruka, an attempt that was foiled by a suspecting Kazama. He then confronted Sera before witnessing Yumi regaining her memory. Fearing Jingu's power and wishing to out his actions, Kazama and Sera devised a plan that would protect Yumi and Haruka and weaken Jingu; the two crafted a new identity for Yumi, "Mizuki" circa 2000, and had Haruka be sent to Kazama's orphanage under his watchful eye. Finally, Kazama, Sera and Yumi stole Jingu's ten billion yen which he had stored in the Tojo Clan's bank. In 2005, Kazama arrived at the Tojo Clan HQ for an executive meeting alongside Shimano and Nishikiyama. Sera revealed that the meeting was requested by Nishiki, causing Kazama to berate his former protege. Nishiki soon revealed the theft of the Tojo Clan's funds from the Touto Bank. Kazama warned Shimano when the latter yelled at Sera's failure, and was the only high-ranking officer to bow to Sera as the latter left the meeting hall. As Sera left, Kazama and Nishiki exchanged looks, with the former glaring in anger. In one of their last meetings, Kazama suspected that Sera will be killed for his betrayal, a speculation Sera shared. As Sera's most trusted friend, Kazama was entrusted with Sera's will for the Tojo Clan, and was given the choice to pick the Forth Chairman himself. Kazama then decided to name Kiryu as Sera's successor. True to the two's suspicions, Sera was murdered shortly afterwards. Funeral of the Third Chairman On December 5, a day before Kiryu's parole, Kazama sent him a letter. In his letter, Kazama admitted to Kiryu that the Tojo Clan has changed during his imprisonment, and expressed disappointment that he could not arrive and meet Kiryu. He also mentioned talking about Nishiki and Yumi in person, and asked Kiryu to visit Stardust and meet its owner Kazuki, where Shinji was to meet Kiryu and instruct him about meeting Kazama at Sera's funeral. The day of Sera's funeral, Kazama and Kiryu finally reunited after a decade, in a small office at the Tojo Clan HQ. The elder man apologized to Kiryu for not being able to do anything during the latter's imprisonment, and proceeded to talk about Nishiki's corruption after Dojima's murder and Kiryu's absence. Kazama lamented about his inability to help Nishiki, and then moved on to reveal the truth about Yumi's disappearance to Kiryu. Before he could say anything, Kazama was shot in the right shoulder by a sniper later revealed to be Nishiki. With Kiryu believed to be the attacker by Shimano, a weakened Kazuma told him to escape, as well as to take care of Yumi and the missing ten billion yen. Alliance with Terada Due to his bullet injury, Kazama fell unconscious during his treatment at the hospital. Refusing to risk the possibility of a second attempt on his superior's life, Shinji went on the run with Kazama before informing Kiryu on the matter. Shinji eventually left Kazama with his lover Akemi in the Shangri-La hotel before getting killed by the Nishikiyama Family. After some time, Kazama was approached by Terada, who picked him off and relocated him to his personal yacht in Shibaura. Death and aftermath :Kazama: "The Tojo Clan's... future... is in there. ... Kazuma... I have something... I need to apologize to you for. Please forgive me, Kazuma. Your... real parents were killed... by me. Sunflower is... an orphanage... for the children... of the parents I killed." Kiryu: "It's okay. It's okay, pops. To me... You were my... my true... father!" —Kazama passes away in Kiryu's arms. On Terada's yacht, Kazama reunited with Kiryu and Haruka. It was then when Kazama revealed the entire truth behind the events after 1995, Yumi's identity and Sera's death. He also revealed before Kiryu and Haruka the latter's true heritage as Jingu and Yumi's child. Before Kazama could continue, Shimano and his family launched an attack on Terada's yacht, prompting Kiryu to clear the yacht while Kazama and Haruka hid in his recovery room. Kazama was then helped up by Terada to get out the damaged yacht, only to be confronted by Shimano. However, to even the odds, Kazama previously contacted Kashiwagi to bring the Kazama Family goons for aid. After a difficult fight, Kiryu and the Kazama Family defeated Shimano, who in a final act of spite threw a grenade at Haruka before getting shot dead by Terada. Kazama then quickly shielded the child from the blast, which mortally wounded him. In his dying breath, Kazama revealed the true circumstances behind the money theft, entrusted Sera's will to Kiryu. In his very final moment, Kazama also confessed about his involvement in murdering Kiryu's and the other orphanage children's parents and apologized for his actions; he then died before Kiryu could reaffirm him that Kazama was his only father figure. Kiryu followed Kazama's wishes, reunited with Yumi and managed to defeat both Jingu and Nishiki while the latter eventually destroyed Jingu's wealth and killed him in a murder-suicide. With Jingu dead and the war of succession over, Kazama and Sera's legacy was complete. Post-''Yakuza'' After his death, Kazama was buried in a grave spot next to his surrogate children Nishiki and Yumi. His position as the Patriarch of the Kazama Family and Tojo Clan lieutenant were passed to Kashiwagi. Events of Yakuza 2 and Yakuza Kiwami 2 :"Has a full year passed since Kazama-san died?" —Kiryu at Kazama's grave. By December 2006, Kiryu still had nightmares regarding the deaths of Kazama, Nishiki and Yumi. On the anniversary of their deaths, Kiryu and Haruka went to pay respects at the trio's graves. Kazama and Shimano's massacre of the Jingweon Mafia came back to haunt the Tojo Clan when Terada, allied with several officials from the Omi Alliance and remnants of the Jingweon, faked his death and began his plan to take down the Tojo. However, the involvement of Kiryu hindered the Jingweon's plans. The full story behind Kazama's involvement in the Jingweon massacre was initially unveiled by Kashiwagi, who knew about the background shared between Tojo and the Korean mob. Kiryu was also forced to confront his own guilt about forcing Kazama to initiate the massacre. While coming close to realizing his plot, Terada was ultimately conflicted with his loyalty to the deceased Kazama. Kazama's kindness to him over two decades before eventually caused Terada to rig his own plan about blowing up Kamurocho Hills before dying himself. Events of Yakuza 3 In 2009, the Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan Daigo Dojima was reported to have been shot by a man possessing the physical features of Kazama; in truth the doppelganger was Joji, while the shooter was his partner Andre Richardson. Part of Kiryu's involvement in the 2009 Tojo crisis was to find out if Kazama was still alive. In his confrontation with Kiryu, Joji revealed that Shintaro spoke highly of his protege, and decided to check Kiryu for himself. Character Personality Kazama was a calm, collected and stern man, though not without compassion and kindness. In spite of his notorious early career as an assassin and a cleaner who killed hundreds of people, Kazama hated the act of killing and was regretful over his actions for his entire life. He was ashamed of his reputation, and once angrily stopped Kashiwagi from talking about it in front of Kiryu. An efficient and ruthless killer, Kazama nonetheless sought to find peaceful solutions to otherwise uneasy situations. Most notably, he went against his superior Dojima's wishes and tried to strike a deal with the Jingweon Mafia leader so both parties won't have any necessary casualties, and he would have succeeded if it wasn't for a misunderstanding by Kiryu. While this more pacifistic approach to business earned him scorn from people such as Dojima and Shimano, he was also reveled and highly respected among otherwise neutral or hostile parties. People such as Tachibana and Terada both placed faith in Kazama's ideas and intelligence in spite of their personal grudges towards the yakuza, and Kazama's natural charisma and generosity earned him many other allies. Regardless, Kazama was a very humble person, and used to lecture to both Kiryu and Nishiki about the dangers of power, ambition and cruelty. Despite his affiliation with the yakuza, Kazama appeared to hold disdain towards such lifestyle, and initially refused to let his foster sons join the group because he wanted them to lead better lives. Partly due to his involvement in killing enemies who bared children, Kazama had a soft spot for them. His immense guilt over making so many children orphans led him to found an orphanage so he could take care of them and amend for his sins. He spared the young Terada and Kurahashi due to their age, and his last act in his life was to shield the nine-years old Haruka from a grenade. Physical appearance Kazama was a man of above-average height with a stern facial expression and a thick mustache. His eyes were black, and he used to keep his black hair swept upwards; leaving a small lock of hair hanging over the right side of his forehead. In his later years, Kazama's hair grayed considerably. The Yakuza 2 1980 flashbacks of the Jingweon massacre are the earliest chronological depictions of Kazama, featuring him with a jet-black hair. During this time period, Kazama wore a beige outfit, with an open vest above a gray high neck sweater. He completed his outfit with black leather gloves. During his time in prison in the 1988 events of Yakuza 0, Kazama wore a dark gray prisoner uniform. His 1985 flashback with Kiryu and Nishiki showcases him wearing a dark uniform, though due to the scene's presentation its exact color is unknown. In both the 1995 and 2005 segments of Yakuza Kiwami, an older Kazama is depicted with graying features and a fading blue, stripped outfit completed with a green tie. Behind the scenes Shintaro Kazama was voiced by the Japanese actor Tetsuya Watari in Yakuza 1. Watari reprised his role as Kazama in the games Yakuza 2 and Yakuza 0 (as a special cameo), as wellas the remakes Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2. Watari also voiced the character of Joji Kazama in Yakuza 3. In the English version of Yakuza 1, Kazama was voiced by American voice actor Roger L. Jackson. Trivia *To avoid confusion with Kiryu's first name Kazuma, Shintaro's surname was changed to Fuma for the release of Yakuza 1. This changed remained for Yakuza 2 and Yakuza 3, but was dropped afterwards. Gallery Appearances *''Yakuza 1/''Yakuza Kiwami 1 **Chapter 1: Fate of a Kinslayer **Chapter 2: Ten Years Gone **Chapter 3: Funeral of Fists **Chapter 5: Purgatory (flashback) **Chapter 10: Proof of Love (mentioned) **Chapter 11: Honor and Humanity (mentioned) **Chapter 12: Reunited *''Yakuza 2'' (flashbacks) **Chapter 1: Letter of Blood (flashback) *''Yakuza 3'' (mentioned and flashbacks) *''Yakuza 0'' **Chapter 1: Bound by Oath (flashback) **Chapter 2: The Real Estate Broker in the Shadows (flashback) **Finale: Black and White References Category:Characters in Yakuza Category:Characters in Yakuza 2 Category:Characters in Yakuza 0 Category:Characters in Yakuza Kiwami Category:Characters in Yakuza Kiwami 2